Home
by W. A. Ravensdale
Summary: She knew he was toxic, yet she still kept coming back. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Sadly, no, this is not a new chapter. I finally found someone willing to help me out with this story, so I decided to edit and fix this chapter before I get to publishing the next one. I know this story has been on hold for a little more than three months, but my motivation is back now and I'm already almost done with the next chapter. So, yes, that means I will be continuing this story. I can't promise you quick updates as school is starting again soon for me, but I don't plan on abandoning this piece either. I'm sorry for the wait. I hope some of you guys are still with me and haven't given up on this story just yet._

_Thank you, **Breathless Ivory** for being an amazing beta!_

_**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Once Upon A Time or any of its characters._

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Emma Swan never believed in promises of true love and soul mates and all the other bullshit people had sold her over the years. However, when Killian stepped closer to her, pressing her back against the desk, her body molded perfectly into his, and she could swear he was made just for her. It made her heart ache longingly, yet it gave her some sick twisted comfort at the same time.

Every part of her skin burned from the tender yet demanding touch of his hands when they travelled up her thighs, slowly raising the hem of her dress inch by inch. His lips were soft on hers and he gently bit down on her bottom lip, making her body hum in anticipation and need.

She parted her lips slightly and he took that as an invitation, letting his tongue slip into her mouth as one of her hands snuck around his neck. The taste of strawberries, cream and champagne they'd enjoyed earlier, along with something that was purely him created an extremely erotic sensation in her mouth, and a soft sound between a moan and a whimper escaped her. Her nails scrapped his scalp and he groaned into her mouth, their tongues battling for dominance.

He was so wonderful, so _amazing, _that she'd almost forgotten why she'd ever decided to stop their little affair in the first place. Her brain screamed at her to stop giving in already, to carry on with her plan and break this hellish thing off once and for all, but the voice was silenced by his breathless growl.

Moving from her lips to her jaw, he kissed the spot just below her ear which made her go crazy, sucking and nibbling relentlessly until he was sure it would leave a mark. Only then did his lips travel lower, leaving hot wet kisses down her exposed neck. One of his hands abandoned her thigh to wander up her side to where it stopped just below her breast, his thumb brushing teasingly over her covered nipple, making her whimper greedily. The sensation combined with his eager kisses sent electric waves down her spine again, making it especially hard for her to not plead for more. Not that she would give him that satisfaction – at least not yet.

The hard length of his erection was pressing deliciously against her abdomen and Emma felt the warm sensation which had started low in her belly spread to her core, making it difficult for her to think about much else but the feeling of his lips assaulting hers. She was trying hard to not be the first to give in, but the need was too strong and his hands too eager. She brought her slightly trembling hands between their bodies and started undoing the buttons of his jacket.

"Have I ever told you how incredibly fuck-able you look in a suit?" Emma purred against his lips with the knowledge of what her sultry voice did to him. Smiling to herself when he groaned again, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders and placed it gently on the counter next to them. She knew he hated when his expensive clothes got wrinkly.

He laced their fingers together and stepped away from her, smirking at her groan of protest as he tugged her towards the stairs of his suite. Silently, she followed him to the spacious bedroom, guiltily enjoying the feeling of her palm in his. When they entered the room, Killian pulled her back into his embrace, kissing her passionately and demandingly, making her knees go weak at the intensity.

"Strip," he ordered softly but with an authority she couldn't deny.

Smiling teasingly, she turned her back to him, brushing her golden locks over her shoulder. "Help me with the zipper," she said, looking up at him from under her lashes as innocently as she could. Secretly, she kind of liked this side of her which came out whenever he was around.

He wordlessly brought his hands to her shoulder blades, tenderly tracing his fingers over her inked skin. "I like this little souvenir from your rebellious years," he whispered against her ear, making her shudder as his stubble tickled her neck and his warm breath caressed her skin. "You're quite truly an angel." She felt his feather-like kisses hover over her angel wings tattoo and closed her eyes, relishing in his touch.

If she really was an angel, than he was most certainly the devil.

He unzipped her dress sensually and slowly, making sure to take his sweet time with his task while Emma grew impatient. Once he reached her lower back, he stepped away again, and she sighed internally at the loss of his closeness. "Now, strip," he demanded again, loosening his tie in the process.

Turning around slowly, Emma let her strapless dress slide down her body and pool around her feet, keeping her eyes on his the whole time. The familiar warm sensation returned to her lower parts as his eyes ran hungrily over her body, his eyes darkening a few shades when they came to rest on hers.

"Get on the bed, now."

More than happy to oblige, Emma stumbled back a few steps until the back of her knees hit the soft mattress and she sank into the soft Egyptian cotton. She pulled herself higher on the bed and propped herself up on her elbows. She watched him unbutton and fold his dress shirt with an inviting smirk on her lips. Kicking off his shoes, Killian slowly crawled towards her, his eyes blazing with desire.

Once he was hovering over her, he leaned down and captured one of her aroused nipples between his teeth, sucking lustily. The action made her back arch as she pressed herself closer to him, silently begging for more. Biting lightly on her peak, the mixture of pleasure and pain drew a breathless hiss out of her, and she felt him smirk against her skin.

When he was done assaulting one of her nipples, he repeated the delicious torture on the other, making her cry out as he bit down again. Her fists were gripping the sheets so tightly she was afraid she would tear the soft fabric when she felt his lips wander lower, licking and leaving light kisses over her stomach and abdomen. Placing burning kisses on each of her hips, he tugged her panties down her legs and stuffed them in the back pocket of his dress pants.

Emma had learned months ago that even though Killian Jones was an incredibly selfish man, he was humbly selfless in bed, and always focused his attention solely on her and her pleasure. Sometimes, it seemed like bringing her to the edge, torturing her sweetly until she was pleading for her release and then finally allowing her to reach oblivion was as equally pleasurable for him as his own release.

Well, she certainly wasn't complaining.

Biting softly on the smooth skin of her inner thigh, he pulled her out of her musings, silently demanding her full attention. The awareness of his lips moving ever so slowly up her thigh, nibbling on her juncture, made her whole body throb with need and desire for this amazing man. His warm breath finally hit her core and his tongue dipped between her folds. Emma couldn't help herself but to thrust her hips upwards, wanting, _needing _more.

She closed her eyes and let go of the sheets, only to dive her fingers in his dark hair, clutching his locks furiously as each circle of his tongue brought immense pleasure to her body. The wondrous, lustful things his mouth was afflicting on her heated flesh made her feel so helpless but at the same time strong enough to move a mountain. He had that kind of power over her, and while it enthralled her it also scared her to death.

As he slid two of his talented fingers inside her aching core, Emma knew she would do just about anything for him. Not just because she was so helplessly in love with him, but also because he dominated her like that, completely overwhelmed and possessed her. It was so twistedly amazing it made her hum low in her throat.

He thrust his fingers into her in a painfully slow pace, careful not to let her fall over that edge she was so close to already. She knew what he wanted, and she was too weak to refuse him. "Please," she pleaded anxiously.

"Please, what, love?" He taunted cruelly, curling his fingers in such a way they reached that sweet spot low in her belly, making her cry out in a mix of desperation and desire.

"Killian…"

"Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you," he promised passionately, sucking relentlessly on her small bundle of nerves.

"Please," she chanted, "please, let me come."

Feeling the satisfied smirk against her burning skin, she sighed happily, letting her body finally completely relax. It didn't take long before his thrust became more urgent, his tongue more eager, and she felt her walls close around his fingers. Her hands pulled at his hair painfully and her muscles clenched deliciously. With another few swipes of his skillful tongue, she spiraled over the edge, reaching the sweet oblivion with a set of loud moans.

When she finally came down from her high, she noticed Killian had already taken the rest of his clothes off and was slowly advancing on her with hungry eyes, reminding her of a predator stalking its prey. Without even giving her a chance to completely calm down, he lifted her hips and positioned his fully-erect member at her entrance. Slowly, he pushed only his tip inside and then stopped, commanding her to open her eyes and look at him. Shaking, she complied and as soon as her eyes locked with those amazing blue orbs of his, he slammed into her with such force her lips parted in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Gods," he rasped, waiting for her to adjust to his size and then lifted her left leg and placed it on his shoulder, sucking on the soft skin of her ankle teasingly.

Arching her back, she pleaded for him to start moving as the indescribable need for him flooded through her again. His thrusts started out slow, almost painfully full of promises, but when her gasps grew louder and his pants shallower, he sped up and she matched his pace, meeting his every pound.

"Killian," she all but screamed from the waves of pleasure that coursed through her body.

"C'mon, lass, let go," he urged her, trying a different, even more delicious angle.

She was so amazingly close already that when his breathless grunts reached her ears she was sent over the edge, crying out loudly as the sweet nirvana washed over her. Every muscle in her body flexed. With a few powerful thrusts, he spilled inside her and fell forward, releasing her leg. He barely managed to catch himself on his elbows before he could crush her under his weight.

The sensation was so overwhelming yet at the same time devastatingly heartbreaking. Words of love and affection hung from the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them down almost painfully. Emma could never tell him how she really felt about him. She told herself it was because that just wasn't them, but she knew she was lying to herself. In reality, his refusal would completely destroy her.

So she stayed quiet.

Biting demandingly on her neck, he slowly pulled out but stayed on top of her, waiting for her to catch her breath again. When she finally came down from her high, their eyes met and she almost wished they hadn't. There were so many things she wanted to share with him. She wanted to tell him about her day, to talk about nothing and everything, to be able to whisper sweet nothings into his ear – to be allowed to love him properly.

But she couldn't. Ever.

Emma never considered herself as one of those pathetic women who needed a man in their lives. She had always been independent, brave and confident – she was completely fine with being single and not settling down. However, that was until Killian came into her life. He turned her world completely around, persuaded her into sleeping with him and made her fall in love with him. She had known their relationship was strictly sex, yet she had still fallen for it.

It was kind of cruel, to be honest. To have something so amazing so close to you, but at the same time so incredibly far away. She could touch and please him whenever she wanted, but she couldn't talk to him and wake up with him beside her.

They were friends, but not exactly. Outside the bedroom, their relationship was sternly platonic. Having the same friends, they couldn't exactly avoid each other or keep their distance. And they were friends before everything happened…sort of.

They never really decided to keep their _activities _a secret, it just kind of happened. Ruby and Mary Margaret knew, and probably David too, but that was it. As far as she knew, Killian never told anyone except possibly his brother. She knew she didn't mean all that much to him, so why would he even want to talk about her?

At first, she had hoped he would one day realize he was madly in love with her and proclaim his unconditional love to her. Obviously, that had never happened. So after months of convincing herself that she deserved better, more, she finally decided to end their affair once and for all.

That was why she was here tonight…she had just gotten a little sidetracked.

But now, gazing into his amazing eyes, she realized it would be much harder than she thought. She allowed herself to get lost in those orbs for the last time. They were enchantingly blue, deep as the ocean and bright as the sky. She often got lost in them, she realized. But they weren't just blue; there were so many shades of grey and even green swimming in them one could write a book about them.

But that wouldn't be her. No, because she was letting him go, letting that part of her go. It was time.

"It's over," she blurted out, her eyes widening almost comically.

Puzzled, Killian leaned back a few inches. His surprised face quickly turned unreadable as his eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. When he spoke, his tone was completely calm but Emma knew better than to be comforted by it. "What?"

Emma drew in a sharp breath. Before the tension could become unbearable she pushed him off, getting up as quickly as she could. She knew that if she let him pull her back down, she would not be able to accomplish what she came here to do. She would fall under his spell again. She would let him ravish her, but not love her, and then go home in tears – just like she had done the last time…and the time before that, and the time before that.

Her eyes frantically searched the room in an attempt to locate her dress. She didn't feel strong or able to do this while completely naked and exposed. She almost cried out in relief once her gaze finally settled on the pile of red a few feet away from her.

She still couldn't believe she had actually done it.

After having to spend the whole day pretending that she was unconditionally happy for the newly wed, while she really wanted to pluck the bride's eyes out and knock some sense into her brother, she was more than ready to disappear far away from all the chaos. But she couldn't, because she promised herself – and Ruby – that she would end things with Killian tonight.

So, she followed him to his hotel just outside Storybrooke with every intention of executing her plan. Then he had seduced her with that bottle of champagne and strawberries and cream, so she selfishly allowed herself to sleep with him one last time.

But no more, now she was getting her life back. Now she was freeing herself from his tight grasp.

"This, me and you, it's over." She didn't have the time or the patience to search for her panties, so she just pulled her dress up and brought her shaky hands to her back to zip it up.

Too anxious and nervous, Emma didn't notice him getting out of his bed, much less nearing her. Suddenly his strong grip was on her hands and a silent gasp left her mouth. He said nothing, but let her hands fall back down to her sides and started working on her zipper. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest and her breathing quickened.

"What exactly are you trying to achieve?" His husky voice rasped into her ear then, making a shiver run down her spine for all the wrong reasons as the sharp sound of the zipper echoed through the room.

Did he seriously think she was playing games with him, that she was provoking him just because she was needy? Spinning around, she narrowed her eyes at him in anger and disbelief.

"I'm not trying to _achieve_ anything. This isn't working anymore and I want it to end, simple as that." She lied, pursing her lips. _If only it were really that simple. _

His eyes hardened when the realization of how serious she was finally dawned on him. When he spoke again, his voice was cold and harsh. "This is not for you to decide. You can't just walk away like this, Swan."

"Watch me," she all but spat. She turned on her heels and started walking, her mind spinning. She had trouble breathing and the only thought on her mind was that she needed to get far away very soon or her trouble would be for nothing.

Before she could even reach the doors; however, his fingers curled around her wrist. She cried out in surprise as he spun her around roughly and slammed her against the wall with such force that her shoulders began aching. He silenced her protests when his mouth crushed over hers possessively.

Without her permission, her body responded to his closeness and she returned the heated kiss, hungrily devouring his mouth. The thoughts of getting away were suddenly gone and all she could think about was what an amazing kisser he was. An involuntarily moan escaped her throat.

The soft sound was enough to break the spell. Her eyes snapped open in panic and disbelief and she pushed at his naked chest with all of her strength. She managed to get him to stumble back a few feet before her hand connected with his cheek. The sound of the slap rang through the empty room, and her hand throbbed slightly.

"I'm done being your whore, Jones. We are over," she hissed, trying to ignore his blazing eyes. She walked out of the bedroom, leaving the man she loved behind.

"This is not over, Swan!" Killian's shout was the last thing she heard before she darted down the stairs.

It wasn't until she was at the hotel's lobby that Emma fully began to understand what she had just done. She had broken things off with Killian. She had finally summoned enough courage to leave that part of herself behind her. It should have felt good. She should have felt free and satisfied. So why did she just feel like crying?

She felt like her security blanket had been torn away from her leaving her vulnerable and unprotected. As much as Emma told herself she didn't need a man to be happy, and as much as she could despise Killian's possessive side, it had felt good to belong to someone—even if it wasn't exactly how she had imagined it.

It was just a little past two in the morning and the night was uncharacteristically cold for April. Emma realized she left her blazer inside, but there was no way in hell she'd go back anytime soon. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her shaking frame and began the slow trip to her car.

Since it was so late and most of the town was either sleeping or at The Rabbit Hole, the only sound she could hear was the clicking of her ankle-boots on the pavement accompanied with an occasional soft breeze. Although she didn't want any company, the silence made her uncomfortable and somehow colder. Shuddering, she hugged herself tighter and quickened her pace. .

Luckily her old apartment wasn't far from the hotel Killian was staying in and it didn't take her more than ten minutes to park her car and finally step inside the warm building. All but dragging herself upstairs, she fished the key from her handbag and quietly unlocked the doors, trying not to wake Ruby – if her sister was even there. Emma saw her adoptive sister leave the wedding reception with Victor Whale and if she knew either of them at all, there was little chance Ruby would be home tonight.

Yet, when she opened the doors, she noticed the lights were on in the apartment. Curious, she moved to the living room where she found her sister snoring in the loveseat and her best friend, Mary Margaret curled on the sofa. She vaguely wondered if the pixie-haired woman had left her fiancée alone at Granny's B&amp;B, but couldn't muster enough emotion to really care.

She groaned in annoyance. "Please tell me this isn't another intervention," she snorted in exasperation loud enough to startle the two women as she took off her boots.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret jumped to her feet as soon as she noticed the blonde, her face a mask of sympathy and compassion while her eyes appeared sleepy and unfocused.

"Did you do it? Did you tell him to fuck off?" Her sister joined in, standing up as well with a wide yawn.

Her heart ached as the question brought up some less than pleasant memories from earlier. She hadn't allowed herself to think of them until now, so she swallowed down her pain and composed herself. "It's done. Now, I appreciate your concern but I'm exhausted so I'm just going to crash."

"Emma—" her best friend started, but Emma didn't let her finish.

"Thanks for stopping by Mary Margaret, but I'm fine, really. You should get back to David."

"You sure?" Ruby probed, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. When Emma nodded, her younger sister scoffed in mock-annoyance and exclaimed, "So you're telling me I gave up a night of kinky sex for nothing?"

Emma couldn't help but shake her head in amusement. Her sister really was something else. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah, you can go, but as long as you promise to talk to us tomorrow," Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes at her, making Emma exhale loudly.

"We'll have more than enough time to talk on our way back home. Good night."

"Night, sis'."

"Good night, Emma."

With another halfhearted nod, the blonde climbed the iron stairs and closed the door of her bedroom behind her. She threw her handbag onto the small table in the corner, and headed towards her en-suite bathroom, but stopped when she caught her reflection in the full length mirror in the corner.

The figure staring back at her was the same as always, but she didn't recognize it.

She was wearing a sleeveless, form-fitting, crimson dress that ended just above her knees. The top half of the dress was covered with a thin, black lace and ended with a heart-shaped neckline. While the dress was truly beautiful, it made Emma feel like a complete stranger.

She didn't wear dresses often; she'd have jeans and her red leather jacket over tight skirts any day.

But it wasn't the dress that made her so foreign, not really. What she saw in the mirror was a broken girl, someone weak and vulnerable – someone pathetic. And that wasn't her, that would never be her. She was a strong, independent woman who had just done something incredibly brave and right.

Why did she feel so devastatingly wrong then?

She tore her eyes away from the insulting reflection. She stripped and showered in record speed, not wanting the hot water to soothe her just yet. Once she was done brushing her teeth, she pulled a worn-out oversized T-shirt over her head and crawled under the covers.

Her eyes felt heavy, as if they carried the burden of the world on their lids. She just wanted this day to be over, but her mind wouldn't let her rest in peace. Instead, her thoughts wandered back to Killian. She thought of what he might be doing now, if he was thinking about her at all or if he had found someone else to play with already, and what he had meant when he said it wasn't over yet. Her mind was swirling and before she knew it, hot tears were running silently down her cheeks, making her snort in disgust. She absolutely hated crying.

She wondered if things would get better once they got back to New York. Avoiding someone you didn't want to see was much easier in the Big Apple than it was in a small town like Storybrooke. Luckily, she wouldn't have to wait long to find out. They were heading back tomorrow.

To say she didn't get much sleep that night was an understatement. It was hours before she heard a faint creak of her doors and then the sound of light footsteps approaching her bed. The mattress dipped under the weight of her sister. Neither of them said anything as Ruby wrapped her hand around the blonde comfortingly and Emma was finally able to close her eyes.

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_Thank you for reading._


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you all for the amazing feedback. _

_**Breathless Ivory** is an amazing beta. This would be shit without her help!_

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own Once Upon a Time. Sadly. _

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Getting out of bed the next morning proved much harder than Emma had anticipated. The idea to stay in bed all day was appealing, and the desire strong. She had to remind herself that she had done what she had done because it was time to get her life back together. It seemed only fitting she'd broken things off with Killian before going back to New York. He and their agreement were poisoning her, making her into something she was most definitely not, and she refused to keep letting him destroy her. When she got back to the Big Apple, she would start a new chapter in her life.

Yes, she loved him. She had been in love with him for some time now, but she also loved herself enough to realize what it was doing to her. The fact that he saw her as nothing more than his best friend's little sister, maybe even a friend – if she was lucky – was taking its toll on her. It was hard to love someone who did not return that love, but it was so much harder seeing them, touching them and being close to them, when you knew the other person would never be able to give you what you want. What you deserve.

It wasn't that Killian wasn't good enough, because he was. If anything, he was probably too good for her. He was one of the greatest men Emma had ever had the pleasure of meeting, but he wasn't right for her. While the blonde had been blinded by her affection for him at the beginning of their arrangement, she could see everything more clearly now. They were all kinds of wrong for each other. Accepting that fact was much harder than realizing it. But she had finally acknowledged it, and leaving him proved just that. That's not to say it didn't sadden her, though. She wished things could be different, and comforted herself with the thought that maybe in some parallel universe they were happy together. Maybe in some parallel universe they weren't both so fucked up.

She buried her head in the pillow, and wished she could fall back asleep for those short thirty minutes she had until her alarm went off. Not only could she use any sleep she could get after such a tiresome night, but it would also keep her from repeating last night in her head. She didn't want to overthink things or think about what was best left forgotten. What was done was done.

Accepting the fact that there was no way her brain would let her fall back asleep, she let out a loud groan and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. The floor was cold and an involuntarily shudder ran down her spine. Shaking her head, Emma pushed herself off the bed and walked towards the en-suite, throwing her lingerie in the laundry basket as she went.

She made a mental note to remind Ruby to give her the laundry back when she came to visit her in New York.

She sighed at her reflection in the mirror, hating how puffy her eyes were from crying. She used to think she was strong. That she was different than most girls because she didn't cry all the time. Especially over boys; even Neal's betrayal didn't hurt enough to make her cry. But lately, she'd been crying far too much. Killian had turned her into a sobbing wreck without even realizing or intending it. Emma decided that it sucked.

"Get yourself together, Swan." She murmured at her reflection.

She took her time under the shower, letting the warm water relax her muscles and ease the tension. She washed her head and scrubbed herself clean, only turning off the tap once hot water ran out. Quickly drying her hair, she tied it into a messy bun, pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a white, long-sleeved T-shirt and slid into a pair of brown ankle-boots.

She knew Ruby must have already left at least an hour ago to get to _Granny's_ in time, and since she didn't really feel like eating much, she just grabbed a banana out of the bowl. She made herself some hot cocoa, adding a few marshmallows for good measure, and sprinkled the hot beverage with cinnamon. She set the mug on the coffee table, wrapped herself in a fuzzy blanket and spread across the sofa. Grabbing the laptop off the floor, she settled it in her lap and scanned through her emails first.

Her alarm went off a little less than a half hour later and she dragged herself back upstairs. She started packing with a loud sigh. She loved New York, she really did, but there was something about Storybrooke that would always feel like home to her. Maybe because it was the first real home she'd ever had.

* * *

Fucking. Regina. Fucking. Killian. The words kept repeating like a mantra in her head over and over and over again as she mercilessly pounded into the boxing bag. Her muscles were screaming in protest and droplets of sweat were running down her face, but it didn't bother her. She needed to let out all the pent up frustration and she had always enjoyed boxing. She enjoyed it even more when she imagined her sister-in-law's face in the middle.

She couldn't believe they had been married for less than a month and Robin had already more or less brushed Emma off. He had promised nothing would change, but she knew better. Her brother was so deeply in love with the she-devil he would do pretty much anything she asked him to, and that didn't sit well with Emma. Not only did the woman's blabbering cloud his mind and rational thinking, she was manipulating him in neglecting his family for her.

A growl of frustration escaped Emma's throat as she punched harder and faster. Who the hell did the woman think she was? Just because she was the mayor of her home town didn't give her the right to separate Robin from his family, but she still tried to do so every chance she got. Like, about an hour prior, when Robin had called to check in after almost a week of no word from him.

Emma had been so excited when her phone rang and she saw his name. He always brightened her mood, and even though she would never tell him what happened exactly since he didn't even know about her and Killian, she still wanted to talk to him for a while and stop thinking about the blue-eyed lawyer. But of course, his meddling wife cut their conversation short with her whining about how unsocial her husband was being and practically hung up on her.

She always ruined everything. Emma couldn't understand what Robin saw in that awful woman. There were so many better women out there who actually deserved her brother.

A sharp pain shot through Emma's left arm at the last direct and she cried out, wincing as she stepped away from the large bag and held her hand against her stomach. She carefully rolled her shoulder to assess the damage and sighed when the pain didn't lessen. Great. The last thing she needed was an injury.

Shaking her head in frustration, she took off her boxing gloves and wraps and discarded them on the floor against the wall. Getting a membership at the nearest gym was one of the best things she'd done for herself in a while, and she made a mental note to buy a boxing bag for her loft.

She didn't bother to change, she just grabbed her things, threw them in her black gym bag and hurried home. Luckily, the gym was barely a mile away from her loft so it didn't take her long to get back.

Taking off the top she was wearing, she wiped her wet face in the soft material and opened the front door. It was only April, but the heating was on high, so she really didn't worry of catching a cold in only her sport bra. Momentarily forgetting about her injured shoulder, she grabbed her bag with the wrong hand and huffed as the pain shot through her arm again. The bag fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Fuck," she murmured under her breath, using her other hand to massage her shoulder gently.

Emma turned around with the intent of finding an ice-pack for her shoulder, but stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw; two figures settled casually in the kitchen, both of their eyes set on her. Despite her best efforts, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Killian sitting on the stool behind the kitchen island, before she realized she didn't want him there and scowled her features into a mask of indifference.

Her eyes left his and she cocked her eyebrow at her sister, already promising to herself she would give Ruby hell if she had invited him over. While Ruby supported Emma's choice, the blonde knew there was still a part of her sister that held onto that crazy idea of Killian suddenly realizing how madly in love he was with Emma and coming after her. They'd all been friends for a long time, but Ruby still didn't know him like Emma did. Her sister was far too busy with other things to really take time to get to know Killian. Emma on the other hand, had spent enough time pinning after him to notice the all the small habits and flaws he had. She knew him. And that's how she knew that even if Killian did come after her, it wouldn't be to proclaim his undying love for her, it would be an act of his possessiveness. He didn't love her, but he did want her.

And Killian Jones wasn't used to not getting what he wanted.

She loved having her sister over, but right now she just wanted to be alone. She was also slightly suspicious as to why her sister was in her loft, even though she wasn't supposed to be visiting for a month.

Ruby shook her head slightly to let her know it was not what she thought, and even though Emma wanted to believe he was there for her, the lack of smile on her sister's face told her that was not the case.

"What are you doing here?" She asked tiredly, brushing some of the hair that has fallen out of her ponytail behind her ears. Boxing had worn her out, her shoulder was still throbbing, and she just wasn't in the mood to deal with him.

"Why, hello to you too, Swan," he smirked cheekily. It wasn't until his eyes travelled up and down her body that she realized she was standing there in only her sports top and sweatpants. Suddenly, she felt extremely uncomfortable, though she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of covering herself up.

"You know what? I don't even care why you're here. Don't let the door hit you on your way out," she brushed him off with a roll of her eyes.

For a brief second when her eyes met his, she thought she saw something resembling hurt and confusion flash in them. But it was gone as quickly as it came and she shook her head slightly, angry with herself for imagining things that were most certainly not true. Killian did not care, and most of all; Killian did not show his feelings. Ever.

Ruby cocked her head to the side and gave Emma a pointed look, before speaking with a warning tone. "Emma, stop being a bitch. He's not here to fight."

The blonde didn't say anything, but raised her eyebrow at her sister and waited for her to continue. Ruby exhaled and shook her head. "We have a problem."

* * *

Emma couldn't believe this was happening. It was like the universe didn't want her to get her life together with how it kept throwing shit at her at the worst possible moments. She had her brother and his new wife to worry about, her love life was a total mess and her shoulder hurt like hell. She did not need this added to the pile.

"And you're sure Roland is Robin's?" Emma asked her sister for the tenth time. She still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that her brother had a child with the woman he divorced over four years ago and didn't even know about it.

"Well, I guess I can't know for certain, but Emma, he's a carbon copy of Robin when he was young. As much as I despise the woman, Marian has no reason to lie about this." Her sister stressed.

Emma shot Killian a sideways glance. She really didn't want him here, but she also kind of wanted to jump over the counter and kiss him. She just didn't know which one was worse.

She shook her head, trying to come up with a plan as she absently rubbed her shoulder with her other hand. "You should really put some ice on that, love," Killian remarked, making her snap out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, before noticing what she was doing and dropping her hand. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" Ruby asked, clearly not noticing Emma's discomfort until now.

"Nothing."

They both watched Emma as she pushed herself away from the counter and opened the freezer, taking out a bag of frozen peas, wrapping them into a cloth and pressing it against her shoulder. An involuntarily gasp left her at the sudden coldness, before she leaned against the counter again and noticed them watching her.

"I'm fine!" She snapped at their knowing looks and rolled her eyes, trying her best to avoid Killian's gaze, who seemed to read her far better than her own sister. "Can we get back to the problem now?"

Ruby shot a glare in her direction, before focusing back on Killian.

It wasn't every day your brother's cheating ex-wife came back to town with a kid she claimed was your nephew. When Ruby told her she had bumped into Marian at the store back in Storybrooke, she was sure she had been lying. Marian had no reason at all to come back to a town which most certainly didn't want her. After she cheated on Robin, Granny, being the overly protective guardian, lost it and threatened her to leave town. Seeing as everybody respected Granny and everything she did for Emma and her siblings, and knowing Robin's history, there weren't many who thought Marian was the innocent one.

In the end, Marian realized living in a town where no one liked you was too hard, so she took Granny's advice and fled. It was probably the only smart thing the woman had done in her whole life. As much as Emma disliked Regina, she at least knew the mayor's feelings towards her brother were genuine. If she had to choose between Marian and Regina, she would gladly pick her nemesis and let the cheating skank rot in hell.

She let her eyes skip to the man who had stolen her heart, and despite everything that had happened between them, she couldn't ask for a better friend for her brother. Killian and Robin had been best friends even before Emma arrived to the family and they had always had each other's backs. She knew Killian would die for her brother and it went both ways. The surgeon loved Robin as much as she and Ruby did.

What would Robin do if he found out his best buddy had been screwing his little sister for almost a year now? She didn't even want to think about it, because she knew it would end badly. That was another one of the million reasons why she and Killian could never be together. She couldn't do that to either of the men she loved.

Another thing about Killian was that while he was extremely passionate and stubborn, he was also very loyal and trustworthy. Setting aside their argument and not demanding answers like he usually would just further proved how much he cared for Robin. But she didn't kid herself and think he wouldn't go back to his usual self as soon as they were done talking.

She thought about sneaking out before they were finished so he couldn't corner her, but this was bigger than her feelings and her cowardice. They were talking about her brother's life, for god's sake. She would stay and help come up with what to do, no matter what.

That didn't mean she was looking forward to their talk, though.

It took Emma a while to realize Ruby and Killian had both stopped talking and were looking at her amused. Embarrassed to be caught looking at him, Emma averted her gaze and focused on her sister instead. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, but flashed her a secretive smile as well. "We need to tell Robin before he finds out."

"I agree." The blonde nodded. "I'm just going to jump under the shower real quick and then we'll leave, okay?"

Not waiting for an answer from either of them, she put the peas back into the freezer and all but ran upstairs, needing to escape the room. Once she was in her bedroom, she closed the door and leaned against it. Exhaling loudly, she let her head fall back and banged it against the wooden surface a few times, muttering something about when her life had become so complicated under her breath. Not having much of a choice, she stripped and showered quickly, before re-tying her hair into a messy bun and pulling on a pair of jeans and a black sweater.

Stepping into her boots, she grabbed her red leather jacket and her phone and hurried downstairs, not wanting to be the one to leave her friends waiting. Somewhere in the middle of the stairs, she looked around the apartment confused. Killian was eating an apple while leaning against the counter, and Ruby was nowhere to be seen.

The realization dawned on her and she cursed her sister under her breath. "Let me guess, Ruby's already long gone?" She groaned, shaking her head.

"Beautiful _and_smart? You're quite a catch, Swan," Killian chewed on his apple with a haughty smirk on his lips.

An involuntarily laugh escaped Emma at the irony of his words and a light blush crept on her face at his meaning. His puzzled look reminded her of how crazy she must have sounded, so she covered it up with a loud cough. Knowing asking him to leave would only start an argument she didn't want to have, she sighed in defeat and walked past him to the refrigerator.

She more or less ignored him and decided she may as well have something to eat. It would at least give her something else to focus on beside him, and it might give him the clue to leave her alone. Probably not, but it was worth a try. Emma's chopping and Killian's loud chewing were the only sounds in the empty apartment. The chewing stopped not long after and while the blonde was curious to know what he was doing, she was too stubborn to turn around and find out.

The whole situation was incredibly frustrating, especially since she wasn't used to it. As if having Killian there, in her apartment, alone wasn't bad enough, her injured shoulder made moving her hand difficult. And it was a lot harder chopping with one hand than it looked like. Her anger grew and the sound of the chopping got louder. She felt his eyes on her back, but she wouldn't dare to look.

God, she wasn't about to fall apart in front of him, was she?

Panicking inside, she was too distracted to notice his hand before he lay it over hers and jumped startled, dropping the knife on the counter. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the sensation his touch brought to her until now, and an involuntarily shudder ran through her body, making her close her eyes.

"Stop it, lass. You're only going to hurt yourself."

Angry at herself and her body for reacting this way, she stepped to the side. She watched as his hand disappeared from hers and rounded the kitchen island, subconsciously putting something between them to separate them physically.

"How about you get to the yelling and arguing part already? I'm done playing this game." Defense was the best offense, right?

He chuckled darkly and shook his head, but his eyes showed anything but amusement. With that dangerous spark in his eyes, he set his hands down on the counter and leaned on them for support. "You say it like I'm the one who started this _game_."

"Aren't you?"

"I'm not the one who just suddenly up and left without an explanation of any kind, Swan." While his face was a mask of calm and his voice as indifferent as possible, his eyes betrayed the anger which was bubbling under the surface.

"You don't want an explanation." Emma scoffed, meaning to say it quieter than she had.

"I deserve it, though."

Of course, he was right. He deserved an explanation and so much more, but she wasn't ready to give it to him yet. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to give it to him. She had done a great job of hiding what she felt for him for so long, she didn't even know how to stop pretending anymore. Even though they were friends, she never even hinted she felt anything more than friendship and lust towards him. She just wasn't ready to be that vulnerable and open to him.

It would be so much easier if she could just give him what he wanted and be done with it, but she wasn't even sure what he wanted. Scratch that, she knew what he was after, she just didn't think she could give it to him. It wasn't just sex for her anymore, it hadn't been for some time, and it was incredibly unfair to him as well as to her to keep pretending there were no feelings involved.

"I think you should go." She stated simply, her voice sounding more tired than it had in a while.

It was his turn to scoff now. "I'm not leaving without an explanation."

* * *

_Thank you for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Guess what? I'm back! Hopefully I will be able to post more frequently now, but I make no promises. _

_Thank you, every single one of you that reviewed, followed or favorited this story. Even though it doesn't really look like it, this story and your feedback really mean a lot to me. _

_I hope you like it._

_And, of course, it wouldn't have been possible without the help of my lovely beta, _**_Breathless__ Ivory_**.

**_Disclaimer: _**_I don't own Once Upon a Time. _

* * *

Why did he have to be so damn stubborn? Emma couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh. It made her angry how he could stay completely impassive and unaffected through their whole affair, but when she finally decided to get out, that was when he decided to be involved. Well, screw him.

"Fine, then I'll leave." The blonde shrugged, pushing herself away from the kitchen island with every intent of grabbing her jacket and heading for the door. She didn't care about leaving him alone in her apartment—he would leave eventually.

She had absolutely no idea where to go. Besides being furious with Ruby for leaving her alone with Killian and going to Robin on her own, she was just plain tired. Tired of fighting what she felt for Killian, tired of avoiding him, but mostly just tired of pretending to be someone she was not. She had never been afraid of showing who she was before. If anything, she was sometimes too honest. Sure, she didn't open up to just anyone or throw her secrets at the first guy that walked by, but she didn't hide herself either.

And it was that exhaustion that made her stop in her tracks. It was exhaustion that made her turn around and let him see the real Emma Swan for the first time in months. Not only the one who was madly in love with him, but the one who was not afraid to admit it because she knew she could get over him. She was strong.

"You want to know why I ran? Why I can do this," she gestured between them, "anymore?" She was gripping her red leather jacket tightly, needing something to draw her strength from.

Killian, for his part, looked surprised to see her turn around and finally willing to give him some answers, but contrary to her expectation he stayed silent. He didn't call her out on it, but simply crossed his arms over his chest and nodded for her to continue.

"I think I want more. Just having fun isn't enough for me anymore." Okay, so maybe she wasn't ready to tell him just how deep her feelings for him ran, but it was a start and she couldn't help feeling a bit proud of herself.

The shock was evident on Killian's face, but there was also something Emma wasn't expecting to see: disappointment and regret. Of all the emotions Emma was preparing herself to see on his face, disappointment was certainly not one of them. Was he disappointed in her? Was he disappointed to hear it? Was he regretting asking? Was he regretting ever sleeping with her? Why was there no annoyance evident?

Running his fingers through his hair, Killian rounded the kitchen island and came to stand a few feet away from Emma. Despite feeling embarrassed and very vulnerable, the blonde somehow managed to maintain eye-contact with him.

"I can't give you more. You know that, don't you?" he asked, his voice sounding almost sad.

Emma wasn't used to this side of Killian. She was used to the calm, almost stoic Killian or the passionate, demanding Killian, not sad Killian. This was all new to her, and she realized she didn't like it at all.

"I know," her voice was quiet and shaky. She felt so small.

Clearing her throat, she raised her chin a bit and hoped she at least seemed collected, even if she didn't feel that way at all. "I know, Jones. That's why I can't do this anymore. I need to forget about us and I can't do that if we're still sleeping together. Mary Margaret is setting me up with this guy and I can't start dating if I'm sleeping with someone else." At the thought of her dating other guys his eyes darkened, but Emma knew it was just his possessive side bubbling on the surface. "You'll find a new girl to fool around with in no time, you'll see."

"For what it's worth, I hope we can remain friends. I know that's something you have to say, but I mean it, Swan. We were friends before anything happened, I don't want us to drift apart now. I - I care about you, I just can't offer you what you deserve. I'm sorry for that, lass." Emma was taken aback by his words. She had never seen him that open before. She knew his intentions were good, but his words didn't make her feel any better.

Feeling the tears pooling in her eyes, she forced herself to look away. Why on earth did she have to fall in love with him? With someone who could never love her back? "I really think you should go."

Her eyes were glued to the floor, but she could hear him heave a weary sigh. Without a word, he pulled her closer, and just as Emma's heart was about to skip a beat, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and headed towards the door.

Before closing the door behind him, he hesitated, making Emma meet his eyes again. "I'll see you around?" At his words, Emma nodded, but they both knew that wasn't likely to happen often. From now on, everything would be different whether they liked it or not.

* * *

Despite wanting to run to Robin and selfishly distract herself with his problems, Emma knew that Killian was more than likely on his way there right now. Instead, she decided to wait for Ruby's inevitable call. However, that unfortunately left her alone with just her thoughts and nothing to do. She contemplated on calling Mary Margaret, but she knew her pixie-haired friend would demand she talk about it, and that would make the whole purpose of trying to forget about the entire affair pointless.

She would have loved to run back to the gym and take her stress out on one of the sturdy punching bags, but her shoulder still hurt pretty badly and she couldn't risk a serious injury right now. So, instead of dealing with everything like a normally-functioning human would do, Emma decided it was time to scrub the whole apartment clean.

When she was finished with rearranging her closet and boxing the clothes she didn't wear anymore for Red Cross, she moved onto the en-suite adjoining her bedroom, cleaned her bedroom and changed the sheets on her bed. It wasn't until she was in the middle of vacuuming her living room that she felt her phone vibrating in her pants. Instinctively, Emma knew it had to be Ruby. She whipped her phone out and, without even checking the caller ID, answered right away.

"Ruby? Talk to me."

"Emma...I know something not very great must have happened between you and Killian because he's not in the best mood right now, but I think you should come down here anyway. Robin is...he's not taking this thing with Marian and Roland very well. When Regina found out, she freaked and left the appartment and she's not answering any of our calls. We could really use your help right now. I think you're the only one Robin will listen to." Ruby was rarely serious, that's just how she was, but right now she sounded worried. Emma knew better than to ignore her sister's words.

"I'll be there in half an hour at most," Emma promised and hung up.

Well. So much for avoiding Killian.

* * *

The moment Emma let herself into Robin's apartment, she stopped dead in her tracks. The sight was definitely not something she was expecting to see, and her blood boiled the moment her eyes met the woman standing by the window overlooking the Central Park.

"What the hell is she doing here?" she seethed, asking no one in particular. Of course some logical part of her brain understood why Marian, the woman responsible for this mess, would be there, but she ignored it in favor of causing a scene.

"Oh, Emma!" Ruby cried out and pushed herself from the kitchen counter, running towards her sister. "I'm so glad you're here." The raven-haired woman wrapped her arms around Emma, and the blonde returned the hug absently, still waiting for an answer.

"Emma-" Marian began, trying her best to look innocent. However, thanks to her super power, Emma could see the lie coming from a mile away.

"Why are you here?" she asked as calmly as she could, not caring if she was being rude. The brunette was starting to speak again, but Emma raised her hand to silence her. "No, you know what? I don't care. You've made a big mess just by showing up here and now you need to get the hell out of here and let us try to fix it." Her voice was strict and left no place for argument.

Marian seemed to think over her words for a moment, before she nodded and raised her chin slightly. Gone was the innocent façade, and she was back to the spoiled little rich girl Emma was used to. "Fine. I'll leave for now. It's not like I'll get Robin to listen to me right now anyway. Tell Robin he knows where to find me when he comes to his senses." And with that, she stormed passed Ruby, who was still holding on to Emma, and slammed the door behind her.

The room fell silent for a few moments as Emma tried to process everything that had just happened. She had never known it was possible to physically hate a person so much. It seemed like Marian knew the exact right time to strike - as if she had been planning to come and mess up Robin's life just as he found his happiness again. That woman was a snake with nothing better to do than to destroy other people's lives.

Well, Emma definitely wasn't going to let that happen again. Robin deserved so much better and so did Roland. If the little boy really was Robin's, Emma would do everything in her power to get him away from Marian's evil clutches.

"Not to disturb your plotting, but I think you should check up on Robin now. He's pretty out of it, if you ask me." And just like that, the bubble of silence was broken. Blinking a few times in confusion, Emma realized for the first time since she entered the apartment that there was another person in the room. It was Killian's deep voice that shook her out of her daze.

Clearing her throat, she nodded slightly and let go of her sister. "Um, yeah...you're right. Where is he?" she asked, not looking directly at him. It was awkward enough as it was.

"He's upstairs."

After making sure Ruby didn't need her to stay for a while longer, she climbed the stairs and walked towards the bedroom. She was pretty sure that's where she'd find her brother, and she wasn't wrong. Her heart broke slightly upon seeing Robin sitting on the bottom of the bed with his elbows on his thighs, looking defeated. His shoulders were slumped, his head between his hands and his eyes looking at the wall in front of him.

With a heavy sigh, she sat down next to him on the bed and rested her head on his shoulder, trying to find the words of assurance or comfort or anything really. But her mind was as blank as the wall they were facing.

"This sucks," were the words she decided on in the end, knowing there wasn't really much else to say.

Robin shook his head slightly and fell back on the bed with a sigh. "Yeah, no shit."

Emma joined him, putting her arm behind her head. "What are you going to do?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

"What does she even want, though?"

Another tired sigh. "She says she wants to move to New York. She says she wants Roland to have a father," he let out with a snort.

"And you believe her?" Emma turned her head to the side and studied her brother's face.

He looked years older than the last time she had seen him. There were so many emotions written all over his face she had trouble understanding them all. Again the anger towards Maria bubbled in her veins, but she tried to calm herself down. Getting upset right now wouldn't help this situation at all.

"No, I don't. But I have no idea what she really wants. Hell, I don't even know if this kid is really mine to begin with."

"And what if he is? You know I'm the last person to trust anything that bitch says, but what if she really is telling the truth? What will you do than?"

"If Roland really is mine...then I will do anything I can to be there for him, you know that..."

"But?"

He stayed silent for a few moments. "But...I finally found someone who makes me happy Emma. I know you don't like Regina, but she makes me so happy. And we were just starting our lives together. I don't want to lose her. I love her."

Now it was Emma's turn to be silent. She knew where he was coming from. She had seen how happy Regina has made him, even though she was the last one to admit it out loud. And all she ever wished for her brother was for him to be happy. So she silently decided that she would do anything she could to help Regina understand and most importantly - stay. "Yeah, I know."

* * *

It turned out Roland really was Robin's son. It also turned out he was a very sweet little boy who loved Emma's hot chocolate, played with dinosaurs and picked his nose when no one was watching. And it just so happened that Marian's big scheme was to dump the adorable three-year-old with his father and disappear without a word.

So, for the past three months, their lives had mostly revolved around the happily oblivious three-year-old. Suddenly having a kid was a major change in all of their lives - especially Robin's. Thankfully, Regina had come home not even a day after Marian left and promised Robin to try to get used to the idea of him having a child.

Even though Emma hated to admit it, Regina turned out to be very maternal and an excellent mother to Roland. But it had only been three months and things could always change.

Between Robin and Regina, and Ruby and Emma, they somehow managed to balance taking care of the little one and staying sane. Since Ruby was the only one of them without a stable job, she volunteered to stay in New York and look after Roland when Robin and Regina were at work, and Emma offered to take him on every other weekend, so that the exhausted new parents could get some free time. Curiously enough, even though he claimed he didn't like children, Killian watched Robin on quite a few occasions and the three-year-old couldn't stop talking about all the fun stuff his Uncle Killian had shown him.

Emma was thankful for Killian's help, especially since it wasn't really his burden to carry. It wasn't exactly hers either, but she was still family and he technically wasn't.

"You look pretty, Aunt Emma," A small voice drew Emma out of her thoughts, making her turn around and smile at the slightly flustered boy who was sitting on her bed with paper and crayons scattered around him.

Inspecting herself in the long mirror again, she couldn't help but to agree with her nephew. Her black jeans hugged her legs and her butt like a glove and the white sleeveless shirt she was wearing showed just enough of her curves. She wore ankle-boots and just a few touches of make up to bring out her eyes. She paired her outfit with a pair of silver earrings and the bracelet Ruby had gotten her for her birthday last year. And she had to admit she looked good.

Walking towards her nephew, whose arms were up in the air and waiting excitedly for her to pick him up, she spun him around and laughed at the sound of his adorable shrieking. "Thank you, my little monkey! You don't look bad yourself," she said, gently throwing him back on the bed and tickling him until tears of laughter pooled in his eyes.

Slightly panting, she rolled on the bed next to him, still smiling widely. She didn't care if she wrinkled her clothes or smudged her make up. Playing with Roland and seeing him happy was far more important to her than what her date - a man Mary Margaret had set her up with - thought of her.

Once the smiling child calmed down, he sat up in bed and held up a paper, looking at Emma with his innocent, wide eyes. "I made this for you." He said, his cheeks tainted red from laughing and from feeling a little shy as he waited for her to take the drawing from him.

"Really?" Emma played along, her eyes wide with excitement. She inspected his masterpiece, not having the slightest clue of what the picture was supposed to represent, but still offering him the brightest smile. "Oh my, Roland, this is amazing! It's beautiful! Thank you," she said enthusiastically and jumped off the bed.

"Come on," She held out her hand for him to take. "Let's put this somewhere where everyone can see."

With a wide smile and sparkling eyes, Roland climbed off the bed and took her hand, following her out of her bedroom and to the kitchen, where she sat him on the counter. Searching her drawers for a magnet, she pinned the picture on the fridge. "Perfect! Now everyone can see it."

The blonde turned back to the little boy, but the happiness in his eyes was gone and there was a small pout on his lower lip. "Hey, monkey, what's wrong?" she asked gently, brushing a lock of his hair from his face.

"Do you really like my drawing?" he asked with sad eyes. "Mommy always said they were silly." Emma felt like her heart broke in half as she stared into her nephew's watery eyes.

Rage bubbled to the surface at the thought of Marian and her horrible parenting skills, but she took a deep breathe, closed her eyes for a second, and calmed down.

Taking Roland's tiny head in her palms, she bent down a little so she was his height and brushed the tear that escaped his eyes with her thumb. "I don't know why your mommy didn't like your drawings, buddy, but I seriously love it. In fact, I love it so much I'll make you a deal, okay? You'll draw me more pictures and I'll make sure that cookie jar you've been stealing cookies from is never empty. Deal?"

Sadness long forgotten, Roland wrapped his hands around her neck and giggled. "Deal, Aunt Emma!"

"Good boy," she winked at him and ruffled his hair.

* * *

_Thank you for reading!_


End file.
